Gearing for washing-machines.



No. 837,334. PATENT-ED DEC. 4, 1906. W. NAHRWOLT. GEARING FOR WASHINGMACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.16, 190's.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

GEARING FOR WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed December 15, 1905. Serial No. 291,814.

.To (LZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM NAHRWOLT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort I/Vayne, in the county of Allen, in the State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearingfor Washing-Machines and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, which form partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gearing for washing-machines ofthat type adapted for an alternate reversal of the agitator-shaft.

My invention consists of a horizontal plate loosely provided upon theupper surface of the inner end with a vertical sleeve which is looselymounted on the upper end of the agitator-shaft and is provided upon itsouter end with a pendent stud carrying a looselymounted rack having anintegral radial longitudinally-slotted lever adapted for a slidingengagement with a fixed cooperative guide or fulcrum by means of whichthe rotary motion of the said rack is alternately reversed, a gear-wheelfixed on the agitator-shaft immediately below the said plate and havinga meshing engagement with the said looselymounted rack, and ayoke-shaped rack-bar pivotally mounted at its inner end to the saidplate at or near the center of its length adapted to be actuated by ameshing engagement with a fixed pinion on the inner end of thepowershaft, thereby actuating the agitator-shaft through the medium ofthe said meshing gear-wheel and rack.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanism of simpleand economical construction adapted to transform the rotary motion ofthe power-shaft into an alternating motion in the agitator-shaft inwashing-machines by a positive, eflicient, convenient, and reliableoperation.

The principal novel feature of my present invention resides in the meansfor alternately reversing the rotation of the agitator-shaft.

In the accompanying drawings similar reference-numerals indicate likeparts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a side view ofmy invention in position in a proper supporting-bracket and in operativerelation with the driving-shaft carrying an operating hand-wheel. Fig. 2is a plan view of the same with the upper portion of thesupporting-bracket and a portion of the horizontal plate cut away toshow the relative arrangement of the meshing gear and rack and of thepivoted rack-bar. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the loosely-mountedrack having a modified form of means for reversing the direction ofmotion of the meshing gear and rack and through them of theagitator-shaft.

The bracket or upright standard on my improved mechanism is operativelymounted and has a base-plate 1, carrying at or near one end a shortupright lug 2, having a reduced end 8 for the purpose hereinafterdescribed. This base-plate 1 has its other end upturned, as shown, andprovided with a bearing 4, in which the outer end of the power-shaft 5is rotatably mounted, and has an overhanging arm 6, having a lateralbearing 7 for the other end of the power-shaft, and has upon its freeend a bearing 8 for the upper end of the agitator-shaft 9, which passesloosely through the suds-box lid 10 in the usual manner. In this lid 10the bracket base-plate 1 is rigidly secured by proper bolts 11 or otherproper manner. The outer end of the power-shaft 5 has a fixed hand-wheel12 of the usual form for operating the same.

The supporting-standard is provided upon its inner faces with theopposite'verticallyalined lugs 13 and 14, adapted to limit the verticalplay of the free end of the pivoted rack-bar about to be described, andis also provided with a vertical integral bar 15, rigidly connecting theoverhanging arm 6 with the base-plate 1 near the outer end of the saidarm for the purpose of imparting in creased strength and rigidity to'thearm and resisting the torsional strains thereon in use.

A' gear-wheel 16 is rigidly fixed on the agitator-shaft 9 between theplate 1 and the free end of the arm 6. Directly above this gear 16 isarranged a horizontal late 17, loosely mounted on the agitator-s aft andhaving a sleeve-bearing 18 at or near its inner end. To the lower faceof this plate 17 and at or near its outer end is fixed a pendent stud19, on which is rotatively mounted a rack 20, in mesh with the gear 16.This rack 20 is provided with an integral radial peripheral arm or lever21, having a longitucurved plate 28 and united at their inner ends tothe-sector-plate 29, having their extended ends provided with the curvedtracks 30,

' whose inner faces serve as guides for the extended inner end of thepower-shaft in the manner hereinafter described.

The power-shaft 5 has a fixed pinion 31 on its inner end adapted for anactuating engagement with the rack-bar 26.

A slightly-modified form of fulcrum is shown in Fig. 3, in whichthe'lever-arm 2].

instead of being slotted is provided upon its outer end with a pendentlug 32, adapted for a sliding engagement with a longitudinal slot 33 inthe adjacent upper face of the baseplate 1.' The only differen'cebetweenthis constructionand that shown in F ig, 2 resides in the fact that inone case the slot is movable on a fixed pin, and in the other case thepin is movable in a fixed slot.

I, shaft in either direction by means of the i erses first one face ofthe rack-bar and then The operation of my invention thus described isobvious and briefly stated is as follows: Continuous rotation of thepowerhand-wheel or other means imparts to the rack-bar 26 a corresondingly uniform oscillatory movement t rough its engagement with thepower-shaft pinion'31, which tra vthe other in a well-understood manner,being guided in rounding the ends thereof by the curved tracks 30. Alldanger of disengagement of the rack-bar from its actuatingin I ion'isobviated by the lugs 13 and 14, w ich securely limit the vertical playofthe rackbar in-use. Theseoscillatory movements of therack-bar cause alike movement ofthe rear end of the plate 17, carrying with it the rack20, which is thereby forccd by the slidable connection of'the pin 3 withthe slotted arm 2]. to travel to and-fro in its meshing engagement withthe gear-wheel 16, which movement in turn correspondingly actuates theagitator-shaft.

ing'the oscillatorymovement of the rack 20 will be first in one end ofthe slot 22 and then ator near the other end thereof, as sh own bydotted outline in Fig. 2, and the operation is the same whether the slot22 is movable on the fixed pin 3 or the pin 32 is movable 1n the fixedslot 33, the essential feature being a sliding engagement of thelever-arm with a Obviously the pin 3 durupon the shaft; a plate looselymounted on fixed fulcrum. A fulcrum for the oscillating rack 20,consisting of aslotted arm having a sliding connection with a fixed pin,is more simple and efficient and more easily operated and lessliabletoget out of repair than a fulcrum consisting of a rack-bar, as heretoforeemployed; The gear-wheel 16 and rack 20 are preferably of substantiallythe same size; but obviously their relative sizes can readily bearranged to secure the desired speed of the machine. In theabove-described construction any lost or broken part canreadily,conveniently, and economically be replaced at a merely nominal expense.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of operating the same,what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a washing-.machinegearing, an up-' Trig-ht agitator-shaft; a gear-wheel fixed on theagitator-shaft; a plate loosely mounted on the agitator-shaft above thesaid gear- ,wheel, and provided with a pendent stud; a rack looselymounted on the stud in vmesh with the said fixed gear-wheel, andprovided with a radial lever-arm having a longitudinal slot therein; afixed upright pin in cooperative relation with the said slot to impartto the said loose gear an oscillatory movement; 'a rack-bar pivoted onthe said plate and moving therewith a power-shaft; an actuatingpinion onthe power-shaft adapted for an alternate meshingengagement with theupper and lower faces of the said rack-bar; and

means for limiting. the vertical play of the meshing end of therack-bar.

gearing, of a vertical agitator-shaft rotatably ;mounted in a supportingframe; a gearwheel fixed on the agitator-shaft within the said frame; ahorizontal plate loosely mount- ,ed on the agitator-shaft above the saidgear wheel, and having a pendent stud at or near its other end; a rackrotatably mounted on the stud in mesh with the said fixed gearwheel, andprovided with a radial peripheral arm adapted for a sliding engagementwith a fixed fulcrum; a rack-bar pivotally mounted on the said plate andlaterally movable there- .with a power-shaft; a fixed pinion on thepower-shaft adapted for an actuating engagement with the opposite facesof the rackbar alternately; means for limiting the vertical play of therack-bar; and means for guiding the pinion in its turning movements uponthe rack-bar. v 3. A vertical agitator-shaft; a gear fixed the shaft'andhaving a pendent stud near its outer end a rack loosely mounted on thestud and in mesh with the fixed gear and provided with a peripheralhorizontal lever-arm adapted for a sliding engagement with a fixedfulcrum a rack-bar ivotally mounted on the said plate and provldedwithcurved guides 2. The combination in a washing-machine at its oppositeends; a power-shaft; a rigid Signed by me at Fort Wayne, Allen county,pinion 0n the powershaft adapted for an State of Indiana, this 12th dayof December, actuating engagement with the opposite faces A. D. 1905.

of the rack-bar alternately; means for limit- WILLIAM NAHRWOLT. ing thevertical play of the rack-bar; and Witnesses:

means for resisting the torsional strain of the AUGUSTA VIBERG,

actuating mechanism. WVATTS P. DENNY.

